We learned to make this Keralan Chicken Ishtoo (stew) at Brunton Boatyard in Fort Kochi, Kerala. It was our first day in the “land of coconuts” back in 2016. We attended the nightly cooking demo that CGH Earth Experience offers at all their properties. Chef Noble Francis expertly conducted the demo. He explained that coconut …
This recipe for Thiele (tiny shrimp stir fry) comes from our friend Chef Manoj Nair. He is Executive Chef and GM at CGH Earth’s Brunton Boatyard Heritage Hotel, Kochi. We first met him on our research trip in 2016 and then again when we returned with one of Karen’s cuisine and culture tours in 2018. …
Vegetables are a huge part of the diet in Kerala. And, locals enjoy their vegetables especially when they are served in Keralan Vegetable Ishtoo. Ishtoo is the Malayalam word for stew. The vegetables involved in this stew vary depending on what’s fresh at the local markets. Cooks pick the freshest seasonal ones. Then, they simmer …
Appams are steamed rice and lentil crepes. We made them with Aroma Dipu of Casa Linda in Kochi. We watched in fascination as she spread the batter in a concave pan, then created a flower petal design by tipping it to and fro. The batter is then steamed by placing a lid on the pan. …
After learning to make Fish Molee at Nimmy Paul’s Cookery School we were excited to try our friend Aroma Dipu’s Fish Molee. Fish Molee (pronounced moy-lee) is a classic Keralan dish. It has a minimal number of ingredients and maximal flavour extracted from those ingredients. Nimmy Paul’s recipe does not have turmeric. Aroma’s does. We …
Large flakes of fresh coconut accent this dish of Susheela’s Coconut Prawns. It is the favourite recipe of Susheela’s daughter-in-law, Aroma Dipu. Together, Aroma and Susheela shared how to make it when we joined them for a cooking lesson at Casa Linda Cooking School in Kochi, Kerala. Testing the recipe at home was almost as …
During our time with Aroma at Casa Linda Cooking School in Kochi, we enjoyed a lesson in making Fresh Coconut Milk. Let’s face it. Most of us get our coconut milk from a can. In South India, that would be a blasphemy. Coconut milk here is always a “pressing concern”. That is, coconut milk is …
It’s 9:30 in the morning. Traffic is picking up in the market district of Kozhikode (Calicut) not far from the beach and the fish markets. Stall keepers are pulling up their retractable doors and shops are opening. One of them is Kumari Banana Chips. From across the road we watch a small red-bodied mini-truck with …
If you go to the Bhaskarettante Kada (Brother Bhaskar’s shop) Sarbath shop in Kozhikode, you can order one thing three ways – Milk, Soda or Water Sarbath. That’s it. That’s what they make. And, they’ve been making it very successfully for over six decades. Also known as South India Soda the Malayalam names are paal sarbath …
It’s easy to see why Unnakkai – Cotton Balls are such an instant hit with all who try them. Banana fritters stuffed with coconut? Yes, please. There are some recipes that are hard to replicate at home. This one for Unnakkai – Cotton Balls might be one of them. First, these spindle-shaped treats are made …